Miss USA 1966
| Miss USA 1966 | |
|---|---|
| Date | May 21, 1966 |
| Venue | Miami Beach, Florida |
| Broadcaster | CBS |
| Entrants | 49 |
| Placements | 15 |
| Withdrawals | Idaho, South Dakota |
| Winner | Maria Remenyi California |
| Congeniality |  Linda Leafdale |
| Photogenic | Maria Remenyi |
Miss USA 1966, the 15th Miss USA pageant, was televised live from Miami Beach, Florida, on May 21, 1966.
The pageant was won by Maria Remenyi of California, who was crowned by outgoing titleholder Sue Downey of Ohio. Remenyi was the second woman from California to win the Miss USA title, and went on to Top 15 at Miss Universe 1966.
Idaho and South Dakota did not send a delegate in 1966, making this the last Miss USA pageant in which not all states were represented. (The only subsequent pageant with fewer than 51 ..delegates in the live telecast – 1981 – resulted from a state representative being disqualified during the preliminary judging.)
Results
| Final results | Contestant |
|---|---|
| Miss USA 1966 | |
| 1st runner-up |
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| 2nd runner-up |
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| 3rd runner-up |
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| 4th runner-up |
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| Top 15 |
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Special awards
| Award | Contestant |
|---|---|
| Miss Congeniality |
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| Miss Photogenic |
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Historical significance
- California wins competition for the second time.
- Connecticut earns the 1st runner-up position for the second time. The last time it placed this was in 1962.
- Indiana earns the 2nd runner-up position for the first time.
- North Dakota earns the 3rd runner-up position for the first time.
- Florida earns the 4th runner-up position for the second time. The last time it placed this was in 1960.
- States that placed in semifinals the previous year were Arizona, California, District of Columbia, Hawaii, New York, Ohio, Texas and Utah.
- California and New York placed for the tenth consecutive year.
- District of Columbia placed for the fifth consecutive year.
- Ohio, Texas and Utah placed for the third consecutive year.
- Arizona and Hawaii made their second consecutive placement.
- Maryland last placed in 1964.
- Massachusetts and Tennessee last placed in 1963.
- Connecticut and Indiana last placed in 1962.
- Florida last placed in 1960.
- North Dakota placed for the first time.
- Alabama and Oklahoma break an ongoing streak of placements since 1963.
- Kentucky breaks an ongoing streak of placements since 1964.
Delegates
The Miss USA 1966 delegates were:
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No state delegate: Idaho, South Dakota